Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

A touch of salt on top, while optional, really makes these cookies with a caramel surprise.  Make the homemade marshmallows and sandwich one between two cookies for an extra special treat.

Cookies:
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
2 Tsp Cream of Tartar
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Caramel Squares

Coating:
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

Optional Topping:  Coarse Sea Salt

Heat a medium saucepan over medium high heat.  Slice butter and add it to the pan, whisking frequently.  The butter will begin to froth and brown specks will start to form.  Watch in closely as this happens quickly and you want to cook only until a nutty aroma, not a burnt aroma.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the Flour, Baking Soda, Cream of Tartar and Cinnamon, set aside.  Unwrap and cut the caramel squares in half.

In a stand mixer, combine the cooled butter, brown sugar and sugar.  Mix until blended and smooth.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla, mix util combined.  Slowly add the dry ingredients until combined.

Form the dough into a ball, wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

When ready, heat oven to 350 degrees.  Use a small cookie dough scoop to get a ball of dough, wrap around a piece of caramel, making sure it is completely covering the caramel.  Roll it in the cinnamon and sugar, put on a pan.  If topping with salt, flatten slightly and sprinkle with salt.  Place cookies about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10 minutes.

Cool on pan for 2 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely.

Pistachio Biscotti

This is why I had pistachios left for the previous post - I made biscotti to share with a friend who had surgery.

3/4 Cup Butter, Softened

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Large Egg

1 Tsp Vanilla

1 Cup Cornmeal

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour

1 Cup Chopped Pistachios

2 Tsp Lime Zest

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  

Beat butter on medium until light in color.  Add sugar and beat until combined.  Scrape bowl, beat in egg and vanilla.  Add cornmeal, baking powder and flour.  The stir in nuts and lime peel.

Shape dough into three 8 x 1 1/2 inch flattened loaves.  Place on a large, uncreased cooking sheet and bake 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool on the cookie sheet for one hour.

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Place each loaf on a cutting board and cut into 1/2 inch slices then return those slices to the cookie sheet.  Bake 10 minutes, turn, bake 10 minutes more.  Cool on racks.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.  Refrigerate if longer.

Brown Sugar Cookies

Like molasses cookies but have no molasses?  Try these....you'll never know the difference.

1 1/2 Stick Salted Butter, Softened

1 1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar

1 Large Egg

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Ground Ginger

1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Tsp Ground Nutmeg

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add egg and beat well.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and spices.  Mix well.  Add to the butter mixture until well incorporated, scraping bowl well.

Use a 1 Tbl scoop to drop onto a cookie sheet lined with silicone mats OR non stick foil.  Place about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.  If you like crispy cookies, cool on the cookie sheet.

Macaroon Bars

You don't get any easier than this bar recipe.  Make it as is or added chocolate and caramel drizzle after baking to make a Samoa like cookie bar.

3 1/2 Cups Sweetened Flake Coconut
1/2 Cup Finely Diced Almonds
14 Ounces Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Tsp Almond Extract
8 Ounces Refrigerated Crescent Rolls

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking oil.  Line with parchment paper and spray again.

Sprinkle 1 cup coconut and diced almonds in the bottom of the pan.  Mix together condensed milk and almond extract, pour half over bottom of pan.

Unroll crescent roll and press into the pan, gently pinching the seams.  Top with remaining condensed milk then sprinkle with remaining coconut.

Bake until golden, about 35 minutes.  Cool completely, cut into bars and store in the refrigerator.

Rose's Crescents

It is time to continue through our journey of December 1980 Ladies' Home Journal Favorite Christmas Cookies.  Titled Rose's Crescents, they could also be called Almond Crescents.  They are very close to shortbread but have chopped almonds in the dough and are topped with cinnamon and sugar.

2/3 Cup Blanched Almonds

1/2 Cup Butter, softened

1/2 Cup Butter Flavored Crisco

1/3 Cup Sugar

1 2/3 Cup Flour

1/4 Tsp Salt

Topping:  1/4 Cup Sugar + 1/4 Tsp Cinnamon.

Pulse almonds in a blender or food processor until finely chopped.  Add to mixing bowl along with butter, crisco and sugar.  Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add flour and salt, beat until well mixed.  Wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  

Cut dough into 8 pieces, work one at a time with remaining dough placed back in the refrigerator.  

On a floured surface with floured hands, roll dough into a rope that is 1/2 inch in diameter.  Cut into 2 1/2 inch cookies.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet formed into crescent shapes.  Bake 12 to 14 minutes until set but not brown.  Cool on pan for 10 minutes, sprinkle with topping and move to a cooling rack.

Coconut Cherry Cookie Bar

I received a pouched cookie mix in a silent auction item.  I had canned cherries.  Why not mix them?
Topped with a coconut mixture and baked...yum!

8.5 Ounce Pouch Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
21 Ounces Lucky Leaf Premium Cherry Pie Filling
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Tbl Butter
1/4 Cup Mik
1 Cup Coconut

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Spray an 8 inch square pan with baking spray with flour, set aside.

Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies to package directions.  Press into the bottom of the prepared pan, bake for 12 minutes.

Carefully spoon cherries over cookies and spread to cover.  Keep in mind, the cookies are very soft at this point.  If you just dump in the middle and spread, you may move the cookies.

Bake for 10 minutes.  While baking, combine remaining ingredients.  Spoon over cherries and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until coconut is browned.